Comcast lobbied the FCC to change rules in order...

Comcast lobbied the FCC to change rules in order “to promote more unlicensed use in portions of the 5 GHz band.” Two executives told Commissioner Mike O'Rielly and an aide that “prompt” action on that “is critical to sustain the significant consumer and economic benefits that Wi-Fi already provides and to enable the even greater benefits that will result from the deployment of more robust Wi-Fi networks and so-called ‘gigabit Wi-Fi,'” according to a filing posted Tuesday in docket 13-49 (http://bit.ly/LyKRCd). “Although certain aspects of this proceeding may require additional time for further consideration, the record is already complete and ripe for a Commission decision with respect to the U-NII-1 band.” The Wi-Fi Alliance recently backed arguments of NCTA, of which Comcast is the biggest member, to allow the use of the 5.1 GHz U-NII-1 band for Wi-Fi (CD Feb 5 p11).